SPOT On Therapy Group

(804) 893-5010 Richmond, Virginia

Hours: Mon-Friday 8:00am-6:00pm

Saturday 8:00-12:00

Owners and Managers

Click on our images to learn more about us.

Jena Northen, M.S., OTR/L Occupational Therapist Owner/Manager

Jena earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration/Management from Winthrop College. She moved to Richmond, where she was introduced to an occupational therapist. The rest was history. She attended VCU/MCV and earned her Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy in 1993. Jena has experience in a variety of settings and has had the pleasure of working with people of all ages. Her philosophy includes empowerment of the individual to better understand their illness, injury or disorder and to give them the tools or skills needed to reach their potential. Currently, she sees both children and adults with sensory processing challenges (as well as other diagnoses). She has advanced training or certification in the following areas: Therapeutic Listening, The Listening Program, Interactive Metronome, The Alert Program for Self-Regulation, The Wilbarger Protocol, Heartmath-Heart Rate Variability Training, and Neurofeedback. Jena is married and has three VERY active boys – all of whom have taught her how to be a better person and a better OT! She enjoys spending time with her immediate and very large extended family, reading, walking her dog, and going to the beach.

Lisa is a speech-language pathologist with expertise in Autism Spectrum Disorders, social/pragmatic language disorders, articulation/phonological disorders, and language-learning disabilities (auditory and language processing disorders). She often collaborates with ABA therapists during therapy sessions to improve patient outcomes. Lisa received her Masters in Education with a concentration in communication disorders from the University of Virginia in 1990. She has over 25 years of experience in the field of speech-language pathology. Early in her career, she developed a passion for furthering her understanding of Autism and related developmental disorders, particularly high functioning Autism, language-learning disabilities, and Asperger’s Syndrome. Lisa has certification in the following areas: Early Intervention, ADOS (Autism Diagnostics), Autism Spectrum Disorders, The Listening Program, Beckman and Talk Tools (Oral-Motor Treatment Programs). As a child development specialist, she has had the opportunity to counsel numerous families in the management of their children’s complex educational and social/emotional needs. She enjoys running social skills groups for children and adolescents. Lisa and her husband have 3 children , all of whom will be scattered across Virginia colleges this year! Lisa plans to survive her empty nest syndrome by keeping up with her two pups and traveling to see her family!

Michelle Davis Office Manager

Michelle Davis joins Spot On Therapy Group with over 20 years of experience in health care industry with a focus on client service.
Michelle will be your primary contact with Spot On Therapy Group. She will guide you through the intake process and be there to answer any questions you may have along the way. With a strong marketing and accounting background, Michelle is a welcome addition to the Spot on Therapy Group family.

Kari graduated from University of Illinois at Chicago and has over 20 years of experience working with children ranging from NICU into adulthood. Originally an Illinois native, she has worked in various locations from Kansas City to New York City to New Orleans to here in Richmond. In 2004 she co-authored a chapter in Pediatric Habilitation on Autism Spectrum Disorders and has spoken at several conferences in the areas of Sensory Integration, OT in the NICU and child physical development. Kari currently serves children in the 0-3 population through adulthood who have Autism, ADHD, visual impairments , and developmental disorders. Understanding that no two children are alike, her philosophy is to use an eclectic approach and pulls from various treatment methods to best meet the needs of the individual child and family she serves. Kari's training is diverse, including Therapeutic Listening, Sensory Integration, NeuroDevelopmental Treatment (NDT), Wilbarger Deep Pressure and and Proprioceptive Technique, Interactive Metronome, Yoga for Children with Special Needs and The Alert and Zones of Regulation Programs. Kari moved to VA in 1999 and has built a life south of the river. She spends her time with her family of four children and husband. She loves to read and do crafts if she finds time in her busy schedule.

Becky Balog, OTR/L Occupational Therapist ​Clinic/Early Intervention

Becky is a Virginia native who completed her undergraduate studies in Human Development at Virginia Tech. After discovering a passion for the holistic nature of occupational therapy, she graduated from VCU in 2015 with a Master's in Occupational Therapy. While in graduate school, she specialized in pediatrics with a post-baccalaureate certificate in disability leadership. Becky has a passion for supporting people of all abilities engage with the world around them through meaningful activities and roles. Most recently she has worked with children with diagnoses ADHD, autism, cerebral palsy, developmental delay, genetic disorders, motor planning difficulties. During treatment, she pulls from a variety of therapeutic approaches, including sensory integration, to best serve each child and their family. When she isn't at work, Becky enjoys spending time with her husband, running, hiking, and reading. She looks forward to meeting you and your child!​​​​

Frances Farmer, M.S., OTR/L Occupational Therapist Manager

Frances grew up in South Carolina and received her undergraduate degree from Wofford College. After being exposed to the holistic nature of occupational therapy, she pursued a master’s degree from Virginia Commonwealth University. In and out of the clinic, she has enjoyed working with children and adults with a variety of abilities in many settings, including horseback riding. Specifically, she has experience working with children with Autism, ADD/ADHD, sensory processing disorders, learning disabilities, and motor planning disorders. Frances has completed continuing education with the Vital Links Therapeutic Listening, Handwriting Without Tears, and ALERT programs. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband and black lab, traveling, and riding her horse. She looks forward to getting to know your child!

Ashley grew up by the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia and graduated from the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, VA with a B.S. in Psychology. As a student, Ashley worked as a personal attendant for several different families with children who had disabilities. Through her experiences with these individuals, she learned about occupational therapy and realized that it was her dream career. Ashley graduated from VCU with a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy in 2014. She has experience working with adults with physical disability, stroke, and brain injury, as well as children of varying diagnoses such as autism, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, developmental delay, ADD/ADHD, coordination deficits, and intellectual disability.

Jennifer has been a pediatric OT for 19 years. She has worked in over a dozen school districts in Virginia and Massachusetts where she provided school-based OT services. Her website, www.school-OT.com was developed to provide information to therapists new to that setting. Jennifer also previously worked in two private clinics in California and Virginia specializing in Sensory Integration for children. Her therapy focus is on every-day, real world outcomes and self-efficacy, while at the same time honoring the client at his or her current place of ability. Outside of work, Jennifer enjoys cooking, knitting, reading, pets, and traveling as well as taking on more projects than she can possibly complete.

Kim Alford graduated with her BS in Occupational Therapy and has provided occupational therapy services to children of all ages with developmental disabilities for the past 20 years. She enjoys working with children and their families to build skills and find other strategies to improve the quality of life for the entire family. Kim has completed her Master's in Organizational Leadership and is currently working on her Doctorate of Occupational Therapy (OTD). She has received training in sensory integration/sensory processing disorders, Beckman Oral Motor Exercises, Talk Tools, and NDT. When she is not working, Kim is an active volunteer at her church and in her community and enjoys traveling.

Victoria is originally from Connecticut and studied Human Development and Family Studies at the University of Connecticut. She then attended Washington University in Saint Louis to complete her Masters’ degree in Occupational Therapy. Victoria especially enjoys working with children and has experience in NICU, Pre-School, clinic, and home settings. She has worked with children with Autism, ADD/ADHD, sensory processing disorders, coordination disorders, dyslexia, fine motor delays, and preemies. Currently, Victoria is focusing her efforts on in-home occupational therapy for children receiving Early Intervention services through the Henrico Parent Infant Program. When she is not providing OT services, you can find Victoria enjoying the outdoors with her three dogs and busy toddler!

Holly Charest, COTA Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant

Holly is from Boston, Massachusetts where she attended Northeastern University and Suffolk University obtaining her Master’s Degree in Public Administration with a concentration in health and disability program design. She moved to Virginia and was a stay at home mom, spending time with and caring for her greatest gift, her son Charles. Holly returned to school to pursue a career in Occupational Therapy, she attending J.Sargeant Reynolds Community College obtaining her Associate Degree in Applied Science and later graduated from VCU with her certification in Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Carolyn Huff, OTR/L Occupational Therapist ​Clinic/Early Intervention

Carolyn Huff graduated from Elizabethtown College with a Bachelors of Science in occupational therapy and has been practicing OT for 11 years, first in Delaware, and now in Virginia. She has a certificate in assistive technology and has experience providing assistive technology to children and adults, including communication devices, wheelchairs, computer adaptations, and activities of daily living aids. Most recently she has been focusing on working with children who have difficulty with fine motor and visual motor tasks, such as handwriting. Carolyn homeschools three small children of her own, and enjoys spending her free time with them and her husband. Her hobbies include reading, playing the flute, singing and baking.

​ Maura McGlynn grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. She received a B.A. in philosophy from Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI. After working with school children in South Africa, Maura decided to pursue a degree in occupational therapy. She received her Doctorate of Occupational Therapy (OTD) from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. Maura was privileged to study at the International Adoption Clinic at University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital. She completed her doctorate work providing services and training on sensory processing and child development for the Missionaries of Charity (Mother Teresa’s sisters) in Sri Lanka. Maura began working as an occupational therapist in children’s hospitals. She then transitioned to travel therapy, exploring the different environments and ways that occupational therapists assist children all over the country. She has worked in pediatric clinics, schools, hospitals, and in early intervention. Seeing tremendous overlap between physical and mental health, Maura returned to school. While working as an occupational therapist, she is also obtaining a Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D) degree at Divine Mercy University in Arlington, Virginia. Having both psychology and occupational therapy training has lead Maura to respect each child even more! When Maura is not going to school or working, she likes to travel, hike, run, and learn about animals. She used to work at a zoo! Maura loves to spend time with her fiancé Nick and her dogs Beaux and Thales. She is excited to get to know each family and child she meets at Spot On!

Erin is a licensed and certified Speech-language pathologist with over 10 years of pediatric experience. She is originally from Baltimore, Maryland and studied Communication Sciences and Disorders at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina. She then attended University of South Florida in Tampa to complete her Master's of Science degree in Speech Language Pathology. Erin is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Erin has expertise in working with the Birth-Five population, specifically with language disorders, articulation/phonological processes, developmental disabilities, Autism and Down Syndrome. Erin has certification in Early Intervention, Hanen: “It Takes Two to Talk,” is a PROMPT Level 1 trained therapist. She additionally has experience with American Sign Language and PECS (picture exchange communication system). Erin has worked in public schools: pre-school through high school, private pre-schools, specialty schools for Autism and home-based Early intervention. Erin truly believes in the family centered approach to therapy and enjoys learning from and coaching families while playing on the floor, getting messy while creating arts and crafts projects, making snacks or attending outings in the community. Erin and her husband have 2 young sons and a lovable beagle; who enjoy taking hikes in various State Parks, swimming and kayaking, and traveling to the beach as often as possible.

Caroline was born and raised in southern California and received her undergraduate degree in Asian-American Studies at the University of California, Irvine. Caroline did not find out about the field of speech therapy until she was in college when her great-grandmother needed speech therapy after suffering a stroke. Caroline decided to pursue speech-language pathology after sitting in on her great-grandmother's speech therapy sessions and helping the SLP translate her sessions into Vietnamese for her great-grandmother. Because she is multi-lingual, Caroline thought that she could use her language skills to make an impact on the lives of others.

Shanna Jordan, M.S., CCC-SLP Speech-Language Pathologist

Shanna is a licensed and certified Speech-Language Pathologist with 9 years of experience. She received her Masters of Science in Communication Disorders from Radford University. Shanna is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Shanna currently works in the public school and clinic settings. She has extensive experience working with articulation, language disorders, pragmatic language skills, autism, augmentative and alternative communication, and working with children with developmental disabilities. While not at work, Shanna enjoys spending time with her current foster dog Ginger, sewing, and learning to play the violin.

​Jessica P. Austin, a Richmond native, is an alumna of James Madison University where she received a Bachelors of Science degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders. She went on to receive her Masters degree in Speech Language Pathology from the University of South Carolina. Jessica has been certified by the American Speech and Language Hearing Association as a Speech-Language Pathologist with clinical experience in; early intervention, articulation/language disorders, auditory/language processing disorders, assistive technology, hearing loss, and fluency. Along with these experiences she is also a qualified PROMPT (level 1) trained therapist, which she utilizes to increase children's success with motor planning required for verbal production. Jessica's passion is helping families by increasing their child's success with communication. She uses a family centered approach to better target children's specific and individual communicative needs. When not working Jessica enjoys traveling and experiencing new events, festivals and restaurants.

Phaedra is originally from the Pittsburgh area; her extended family lives there- Go Steelers! She received an undergraduate degree in Speech Pathology/Audiology at Clarion University of Pennsylvania in 1994. After moving to VA, she earned her Master’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from James Madison University and has twenty + years’ experience working with pediatrics in the public school setting, hospital, clinic and private settings and early intervention. Her passion is working with service teams and families of infants and toddlers to educate and coach early communication development. Phaedra is board certified by the American Speech Language Hearing Association, Commonwealth of Virginia Board of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, and the Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Development Services. She is trained in PECS – The Picture Exchange Communication System and TEACCH- Treatment and Education of Autistic and other related Communication handicapped Children from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and LAMP-Language Acquisition through Motor Planning from Virginia Commonwealth University. She has experience in all areas of pediatric speech/language and communication disorders including training/use of AAC-Augmentative and Alternative Communication. In her free time, Phaedra enjoys being outside and on the river boating, jet-skiing, kayaking, paddle boarding or enjoying the beach with her son and Labrador retriever, Lena.

Cherie studied Speech-Language Pathology and Social Work at Texas Christian University. She then earned her Master of Science in Communication Disorders at The University of Texas at Dallas. She has primarily worked with students aged 1-15 in their homes, schools and online (telepractice). Her clinical interests include articulation disorders, early language development/ delays, and augmentative/ alternative communication (AAC). She has experience with students with autism, Down's Syndrome, intellectual disabilities, and learning disabilities. Her treatment sessions are often multisensory, literacy and play-based, including music, movement, crafts and games as appropriate. When not at work she is spending time with her spouse, Isaac, and one year old son Ezekiel. She loves dancing, cooking, and college football (go Frogs!).

​Allison grew up in North Carolina and has always loved being around children! She received her Bachelor of Arts in Communication Disorders from North Carolina State University and received her Master of Science in Speech and Hearing Sciences from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. She previously lived and worked in Washington DC, developing her skills as a feeding therapist with medically fragile infants on a Neonatal Intensive Care step down unit. Throughout her career Allison has worked with children with a variety of medical diagnoses including trach/ventilator dependency, complications related to prematurity, Cerebral Palsy, Traumatic Brain Injury, Autism, and chromosomal abnormalities. Allison is also a Certified Lactation Counselor who is able to assist mothers with breastfeeding difficulties. She prides herself in being empathetic and working with families to provide family centered and functional therapy. She also loves to help kids learn both receptive and expressive language skills through play based therapy and laughter. She is a Hanen Certified Therapist who has attended the It Takes Two to Talk Workshop and is also trained on The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS Level 1). She has attended The Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) Approach to Feeding and The SOFFI Method (Supporting Oral Feeding in Fragile Infants) course. When she is not working Allison enjoys traveling, yoga, and loves being outside with her two cocker spaniels.

Keri Isley, M.S., CCC-SLP Speech-Language Pathologist

Stay tuned for more information about Keri!

Rebecca McKinley, M.S., CCC-SLP

Rebecca is licensed and certified speech-language pathologist. Born and raised in Tappahannock, Virginia, Rebecca graduated from Longwood University with her Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders. She then continued on to graduate school where she received her Master of Science degree in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Tennessee. While in school, Rebecca gained experience working with children with Autism, articulation and language disorders, and feeding and swallowing disorders. Since joining the field, Rebecca has spent her time working primarily with children with Autism Spectrum Disorders as well as children with intellectual disabilities, developmental delay, articulation/phonological disorders, and specific language impairment. Rebecca is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and desires to become a Certified Autism Specialist. She is the oldest of three children and is extremely close to her parents, grandparents, and extended family. When not at work, Rebecca enjoys spending time with her dog Simba, exercising, reading, and relaxing.

Nancy is originally from Brooklyn, NY and graduated in 1988 from Long Island University with a master's in Physical Therapy. For the past 12 1/2 years, she has lived in Chesterfield where she has worked primarily in pediatrics, but also enjoys working with adults at St Mary's Hospital. Currently, Nancy is the lead NICU PT at St Mary's hospital, as well as one of the founding therapists for the NICU graduate follow up clinic (Developmental Assessment Clinic). Nancy is also a certified educator of Infant massage. She has two daughters, Laura (25), who has a Master's of Divinity and is currently at VCU doing a social work degree and Julia (19), who has started at John Tyler CC. Her older daughter is legally blind from birth and received various therapy through EI and school, so she has lots of first hand experience on the "other " (parent) side as well. Nancy loves working with children and families to help them through their challenges and joys of raising children with special needs.

Andrea Lester, MSPT Physical Therapist ​Early Intervention

Andrea grew up in southern WV. She went straight from high school to college to earn her Bachelor degree in Psychology and her Master of Science in Physical Therapy both from Wheeling Jesuit University. She has 18 years of experience spending the last 15 of those years specializing in the treatment of children. She began working in WV in a variety of settings including an outpatient clinic, a nursing home, schools, and early intervention were she discovered her true passion for working with families who have children with gross motor delays. She has lived in Chesterfield since 2008 helping children from 0-21 years old in outpatient and early intervention programs. She provides physical therapy services to a variety of children including ones who have pain, broken bones, sprains, gait abnormalities, movement disorders, cardiac issues, POTS, Mitochondrial disorders, neuromuscular disorders, Torticollis, Concussion/TBI, arthrogryposis, and genetic/chromosomal conditions. Some of her recent continuing education courses have included Mulligan mobilization techniques, Cascade/Sure Step/DMO products, foot positioning and gait mechanics, Functional Electrical Stimulation to substitute for bracing, and AMA Mitochondrial Medicine. She is certified as a KTP in Kinesio Tape and as an Early Intervention Professional in Virginia. Outside of therapy, she enjoys participating in activities outdoors, with her church, with her husband, 10 year old son, and 14 year old daughter.

Hours: Mon-Friday 8:00am-6:00pmSaturday 8:00-12:00

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Spot On Therapy Group currently is an in network provider for Anthem, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Anthem HealthKeepers, Aetna, Optima, United Healthcare, Tricare, Medicare, and Medicaid. If we are not in network with your insurance provider, please call for out-of-network payment options.

The information on this site is provided for informational and educational purposes only; it does not contain specific medical advice. If you have specific health questions or problems, consult a health care professional.